Acetylene-gas generator



Patented' Nov. 8, |898.

c. PY. LEsHER. ACETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

(Applicaeion'med nu. 9, was.)

,./J lll/l Il! Nn. elaas.

(No Model.)-

o seal 10c.

NTTED STATES PATENT FEicE.

CHARLES P. LESI-IER, OF LANSING, MICHIGAN.

ACETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 613,689, dated November 8, 1898.

Application filed March 9, 18498.

Io machines for furnishing a continuous and regular supply of gas where the gas is produced by the action of water or other liquid upon a solid, as calcium carbid; and the objects of my improvement are, first, to provide a simple, easily-managed, self-contained apparatus, inexpensive to manufacture and of easy manipulation; second, to provide efficient and reliable means for controlling the supply of liquid and maintaining the supply 2o of gas; third, to provide a convenient and safe means of renewing the supply of carbid without permitting the escape of gas or stopping the operation of the machine; fourth, to cool and purify the gas more effectually than 2 5 in other similar devices, and, fifth, to avoid all danger of explosion. I attain these objects by the mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings.-

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the entire 3o machine. Fig. 2 is a cross-section of the valverod 6 and tube 6d. Figsl 3 ande show modined forms of the lifting-rod 8.

Similar figures referto similar parts throughout the several views.

The device is composed of an outer watertank 1 of the usual construction, near the base of which is inserted the drip-cock 19, which connects by means of the iiexible waste-pipe 21 with the condensing -buoy 15. Moving 4o freely inside of this and kept in an upright position by guides is an inner gas-holder or gasometer 2. The` upper part of this gasholder is divided by the horizontal partition 2 into two chambers, a lower or gas-holder proper and an upper or generating chamber,

(marked 8 in the drawings,) which also serves as a cooling and condensing chamber. A cylindrical inner wall 10b is set into this chamber, making its walls double, forming a water Into this generating-chamber is set the carbid-pan 5, which in its preferred form is of a double conical shape, resting at its serai No. 673,242. (No model.)

,upper edge`on the inner Wall 10b of the generating-chamber 3. Around the upper edge of the carbid-pan 5 is a row of holes 5, leaving free communication between the carbidpan and the generating-chamber 3 for the passage of gas. On the top of -the generatingchamber 3 and forming a cover for it is removably set the Water-supply reservoir 4, attached to the bottom of which is the cylindrical drum 10,which,together with the double Walls 10a and 10b of the generating-chamber 3, forms a water seal 10, preventing the leakage of gas from the generating-chamber 3 or the carbid-pan 5. The water-supply reservoir 4 is closed at the top by a cover 22, by the removal of which water can be poured through the sieve 23 into the water-reservoir.

Into vthe bottom of the water-supply reservoir t is set the valve 6,which may be of any approved construction, for the purpose of admitting water from the Water-supply reservoir to the generating-chamber. In the preferred formhowever, it is composed of the tube 6,which is rmly attached to the valveseat 6b and in which moves freely the weighted valve 6. The extremity of the valve 6 is prolonged and passes down through the opening in the valve-seat in the form of a valve-rod 6c, carrying a water-distributing plate 0.

15 is a cylindrical hollow ring which serves the double purpose of a buoy to sustain a large portion of the weight of the gas-holder and its attachments and also as a condensingchamber, in which the impurities contained in the gas are condensed and separated from it. This condensing-buoy is connected by the tube 13 to the upper part of thegenerating-chamber 3 and by the tubes 13 and 20 to the upper part of the gas-holder 2. The upper end of the pipe 15 is steadied and retained in position by a closed extension of the horizontal pipe 20, connected at its eX- tremity to the wall of the gas-holder. The tube 11 conducts the gas from the gas-holder 2 to the burners. Opening into the gas-holder 2, near its base, is the safety-pipe 16, the purpose of which will more clearly appear from the description of the manner of operation of the device. The air-cock 18 passes through the walls of the water-supply reservoir, as shown in the drawings, opening into the generating-chamber 3'. The pipe 13 is closed at ICQ its top end by the drop-valve 12. The stem of this valve is prolonged in such manner that when the carbid-pan 5 is placed in position the valve will be held open, as shown in the drawings, closing by its own Weight when the carbid-pan is removed. Attached to the side of the gas-holder 2 are the drop-handles 17 for the purpose of raising the gas-holder 2, and also when. placed in the position shown in the drawings resting on the top of the tank 1 and preventing the descent of the gas-holder. The iioat 7 carries on its upper surface alifting-rod 8, passing gas-tight through a tube 8,which is fitted gas-tight in any proper manner into the horizontal partition 2. The rod 8 is surmounted by a cap, as is shown in the drawings, which also serves as a valve, preventing any possible escape of gas between the pipe and the rod. Instead of the float 7 the rod 8 may be prolonged to the base of the outer Water-tank 1, terminating either in a spiral spring 14, as shown in Fig. 3, or abruptly, as shown in Fig. 4; but at present I prefer the use of the iloat 7. The purpose of this part of the device will more perfectly appear from the description of the operation of the device.

In order to use my device, the tank 1 is lled with Water nearly to the level of the pipe 20. The gas-holder 2 is then placed within it, and the air-cock 18 is opened, permitting the air to escape from the gas-holder 2 through the pipes 20 and 13, the condensing-bu oy 15, the valve 12, and the air-cock 18 into the open air. The gas-holder will then sink by its own weight until the handles 17 rest upon the edge of the tank 1. A sufficient quantity of calcium carbid or other proper substance is then placed in the carbid-pan 5, which is placed in position. The water-supply reservoir 4; is iilled with Water and set on the top of the generatingchamber 3 and secured in position by locks, (not shown in the drawings,) the drum 10 extending down into the water seal, which is filled with Water, thus eifectually closing all communication between the generating-chamber and the open air, the air in the generating-chamber in the meantime passing off through the air-cock 18. A small quantity of Water is then poured into the carbid-pan 5 through the air-cock 18. The evolution of gas is atonce commenced, which rises, passes through the holes 5a into the generating-chamber 3, where the impurities are in a large measure condensed by the cool surface of the water seal, the horizontal partition 2, and the bottom of the Water-supply tank. The gas thus formed is permitted to escape through the air-cock 18 until all the air is expelled from the generating-chamber. The air-cock 18 is then closed, and the gas passes through the valve l2 and the pipe 13 into the condensingbuoy 15, where it is further purii'ied, then through the pipes 13a and 20 into the upper part of the gas-holding chamber, expelling the small portion of air remaining there, which passes off through a cock 24 into the open air. This cock is then closed and the cock 11 is opened, when the gas passes to the burners and the device is in full operation. As the gas-holder 2 fills with gas it rises, releasing the handles 17, which fall to the side of the gas-holder, leaving the gas-holder free to rise and fall Within its full range. At the same time the iioat 7 falls, carrying the rod 8 and permitting the valve G to partially or entirely close, thus diminishing the supply of water or, if the rise is excessive, entirely shutting it off, and consequently diminishing or entirely discontinuing the supply of gas, according to the rate of consumption. If the rate of consumption is greater than the supply, the gas-holder 2, be ing emptied of gas, will sink, permitting the float to rest on the Water. The fioat will therefore rise, carrying With it the lifting-rod, raising the valve 6, and increasing the supply of Water, and consequently the production of gas. It will thus be seen that the iioat 7, rod 8, and valve 6 cooperate together to regulate the supply of Water, and consequently the production of gas, in an extremely perfect manner.

If by any accident there is an overproduc tion of gas, the gas-holder 2 rises until the opening at the lower end of the safety-pipe 16 is above the surface of the Water in the tank 1, when the surplus gas at once escapes through the safety-pipe 16 into the open air.

iVhat I claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. In an apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene or similar gases, the combination of a gas-holder movably supported within an outer tank and horizontally divided into gas holding and generating chambers, a watersupply reservoir forming a water-sealed cover for the generating-chamber, and a removable pan for containing a solid material within the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

2. In an apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene or similar gases, the combination of a gas-holder movably supported Within an outer tank and horizontally divided into gas holding and generating chambers, a watersupply reservoir having a valve in its base, forming a Water-sealed cover for the generating-chamber, a removable pan for containing a solid material within the generating-chamber, and suitable valves and connections therefor, substantially as described.

3. In an apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene or similar gases, the combination of an inner movably-supported gas-holder horizontally divided into gas holding and generating chambers, a removable pan for containing a solid material within the generating-chamber, a water-supply reservoir, having a valve in its base, removably placed on the top of the generating-chamber, and, in connection with a Water seal, forming a cover therefor, and a hollovr condensing-buoy situated in the gas-holding chamber and con- IOO IIO

nected by suitable ducts with said chamber and With the generating-chamber, substantially as described.

4. In an apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene or similar gases, a double conicalshaped pan for containing a solid material, in combination With a vertically-movable gasholder horizontally divided into gas holding and generating chambers and a Water-supply ro reservoir, forming a cover therefor, substantially as described.

5. In an apparatus for the manufacture of acetylene or similar gases, in combination With a vertically-movable gas-holder horizontally divided into gas holding and generating chambers, a Water-supply reservoir, forming a removable cover for the generating-chamber and a carbid-pan Within said chamber, of a valve located in the bottom of the Watersupply reservoir, and a lifting-rod disconnected from said Valve, substantially as described.

CHARLES l. LESHER. Witnesses:

BLANCHE B. BoosINeER, J L. TRUET. 

